New Delhi: The initial investigation into the firing incident targeting Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai has revealed that the three accused were allegedly promised financial rewards and assistance in securing employment overseas in exchange for carrying out the attack.
According to investigators, two men fired seven rounds targeting the actor on Sunday evening, while a third accomplice waited nearby on a motorcycle. The trio allegedly fled after the shooting, abandoned their motorcycle near Andheri West railway station and boarded a train towards Jaipur.
The accused, identified as Hritik alias Roshan, 22, from Bihar’s Begusarai district, and Rehan, 18, and Phool Singh, 18, from Haryana, were allegedly paid ₹50,000 collectively as an advance. Investigators are examining whether they were promised additional money after completing the operation.
Police are also tracing a series of small payments allegedly made to the accused, suspecting that the instalments may have been used to conceal the financial trail. Investigators are examining communications between the accused and a suspected handler who allegedly recruited them by offering financial incentives.
Suspected Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Connection
Investigators are probing a possible link between the alleged operation and Anil Pandit, an associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Pandit reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack in an audio message circulated on social media, in which he identified himself as associated with Bishnoi.
The message also contained threats directed at people connected with actor Salman Khan and others in the film industry. The authenticity and circumstances surrounding the message form part of the wider investigation into the incident.
Three Accused Arrested in Rajasthan
The three accused were intercepted by police in Kota, Rajasthan, on Monday morning while travelling by train. Investigators said they were allegedly attempting to reach Delhi before escaping to Nepal.
Mumbai Police formed around 20 special teams to track them down. Investigators traced the abandoned motorcycle and analysed CCTV footage and technical evidence to reconstruct the suspects’ movements.
The investigation led police to establish that the accused had travelled towards Surat before boarding the Pune Jaipur Express. Information about their train and compartment was shared with Kota Police, which subsequently apprehended them.
Investigators are continuing to examine the alleged financial arrangement, the role of the suspected handler and possible connections to others involved in planning and financing the attack.
